Includes bibliographical references

Design of the Vestiges explained -- Proper position of the nebular hypothesis in the argument -- Imputed failure of the hypothesis from the Earl of Rosse's discoveries, denied -- Experiments illustrating and confirming the hypothesis by Professor Plateau -- Objection from the retrogression of Uranus's satellites considered -- Objection respecting the convergence of atoms to a central nucleus, answered -- The nebular hypothesis not a supersession of deity, but only a description of his mode of working -- Quetelet's inquiries, establishing law in mental operations -- Limits of the system being under law, the whole is probably so -- Question of the origin of organic nature -- Geology proves it to have observed a progress in time -- Objections respecting this progress -- Lower Silurian fossils -- Upper Silurian fossils -- Old red sandstone -- Carboniferous system -- Permian system -- Outline of the genetic plan of the animal kingdom -- Bearing of this plan on the arguments of objectors -- Reptiles of the Muschelkalk, Lias -- Objections as to first footmarks of birds -- Objections as to earliest mammalia -- Tertiary formation -- Opinions of Cuvier and Agassiz -- Apology of Mr. Sedgwick for over-ardent generalizations -- Physiological objections of Dr. Clark, of Cambridge -- Views of others respecting embryotic development -- Germs not alleged to be identical -- Transmutation of plants -- Species a term, not a fact -- Instances of transmutation -- Transmutation does not imply extinction of elder species -- The Broomfield experiment -- Proof of aboriginal life in the present era not essential to the theory of organic creation by law -- The opposite theory characterized -- Views of Dr. Whewell, and objections to them -- Views of the Edinburgh Reviewer : these analyzed -- Views of Professor Agassiz -- Views of Sir John Herschel -- Support to theory of law from Rev. Dr. Pye Smith and Blackwood's magazine -- Mr. Stuart Mill on universal causation -- Present state of opinion on the origin of organic nature examined -- Animals have not come immediately on the occurence of proper conditions -- Great number of distinct floras -- Supposed formation of new species, as upheld by Professor Owen, &c., inadmissible -- Opinions of Professor Pictet on peculiarity of species in each formation -- Time the true key to difficulties arising from apparent permanency of species -- Vast spaces of time involved in the geological record -- Zoology of Galapagos Islands, an instance of comparatively recent development -- Author's theory supported by facts connected with the distribution of plants -- Whence the first impulse to vitality? -- The Vestiges : its object purely scientific : defended on this ground -- Ungenerous policy of geological objectors -- Opposition of the scientific class -- Estimate of this opposition -- Utility of hypotheses -- Bearing of the new doctrine on human interests -- Its moral results -- Consolations and encouragements offered by it -- Appendix : letters of Mr. Weeks on aboriginal production of insects

US Navy Bureau of Medicine & Surgery's Office of Medical History;

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